I was forewarned before I emigrated from Europe to Canada that winter was to be very seriously taken in Montreal so I purchased a pair of galoshes (in North America they were calling them ‘rubbers’ in the 1950’s to my great amusement) and I felt that I was adequately equipped.
One mid-November evening I slipped into my Tuxedo – the McGill University’s Plumbers’ (Engineers’) Ball was being held that evening – put on my shiny patent leather pumps, pulled my rubbers over them, picked up my girlfriend and off we went to dance and drink the night away.
When we entered the ballroom I noticed that the season’s first sprinkling of snow was beginning to manifest itself, but I paid it no heed. After all, how much snow could possibly fall in a few hours and, anyway, I had my ‘rubbers’ on, and my girlfriend had boots with her.
No problem. Right?
That November night twelve inches of snow fell by the time the orchestra played the closing National Anthem at the dance. My pumps, socks and pants were ruined, as was my self-respect and my girlfriend’s dress.
The next day I bought myself a pair of surplus Air Force aviator boots (at the time highly popular with the University student crowd) and became a fervent believer in owning boots for winter use.
Twenty years ago I decided to splurge on a pair of OLANG boots with retractable spikes. Believe it or not, I still have them and they are perfectly usable except that all the spikes are gone.
I called the shoe shop and was assured that they had spares. So I visited them early on a Saturday morning and, to my chagrin, found that, in 2016, OLANG had discontinued the spike model that was needed for my two-decades-old boots.
How about new boots at 350 bucks a pair?
Not so fast.
I went home, emailed OLANG Canada CUSTOMER SERVICE on the same Saturday at 11 am and explained my problem.
At 5 pm. I got a reply.
Although the spikes I needed were, in fact, no longer being manufactured there still were a few old spike sets left at Head Office. Seeing that I was such a long-standing, loyal client, they agreed to sell me a set for $30.
I picked up my spikes yesterday at the shop to which Head Office had sent them.
Remarkable
NOWADAYS ONE SELDOM GETS SUCH CUSTOMER SERVICE, DOES ONE?
A tervezett elavulás, a silány gyártás és a gyors divat gazdasága egyedivé teszi történetét. Bravó egy olyan cégnek, amely büszke arra, amit termel – elég ahhoz, hogy egy húsz éves vásárlást támogassanak. Minden gyártó cégnek ugyanezt kellene tennie, de az emberek megszokták, hogy „újat” vásároljanak, és semmit se javítsanak. Másrészt Jay Leno nyitott csekkkönyvvel rendelkezik a “régi” járművekről, amelyeket a jelenlegi generáció a roncstelepre helyezne. Szép régi barát és … Boldog Új Évet!
VIVIENNE COFFEY
BONJOUR ROBERT,
WAY TO GO!!! NEVER GIVE UP!!!
I WOULD HAVE HANDLED THE SAME WAY.
ALTHOUGH I THINK YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE SPIKES – SHEER LOYALITY!!!
WHEN THERE IS A WILL – THERE IS A WAY!!!
C’EST LA VIE!!!
SAFETY FIRST!
ENJOY! VIVIENNE XXOOXX
So glad it does exist in certain enterprises, they are a rare breed.
Happy for you
Lilla